Employees aged 13 to 15 are known as child workers. This age group have strict laws on their working hours and breaks compared to other employees. There are also restrictions on the type of work that can be undertaken.
The regulations are there to make sure the education of child workers is not compromised, and to protect their health and safety in the workplace.
Can 13, 14 & 15 Year Olds Work?
The law says that children under the age of 16 can’t work full time. However, child workers are allowed to work a part time job from the age of 13 to 15. There are strict rules and regulations around their breaks, shifts, and working hours.
Once a child reaches the age of 16, and is over school leaving age, they are known as “young workers” and are able to work full time.
Exceptions to Minimum Working Ages
The youngest age a child can work part time is 13. There are some exceptions to this in the following industries:-
- Television
- Theatre
- Modelling
Children who work within these industries will need a license, and there are laws governing their working hours.
For children under school leaving age, the rules on working hours and break entitlements are different to those aged over 16.
Related: How many hours you can work at 16 & 17
Working Hours for Under 16s
The legal working hours for under 16s are split into two age groups. 13 & 14 year olds have a different set of rules to workers aged 15 & 16.
Workers under 16 are expected to be in full time education, so there are different rules on working hours during term time and holidays.
How Many Hours Can 13 & 14 Year Olds Work?
13 & 14 year old workers have restrictions on shift lengths and the amount of hours they can work per week.
- During term time – Workers aged 13 & 14 can work a maximum of 12 hours per week.
- During school holidays – Workers aged 13 & 14 can work a maximum of 25 hours per week.
School Term – Shift Lengths for 13 & 14 year Olds
During term time this age group have strict limits on how many hours they’re able to work in order to prioritise their education.
- Sundays & weekdays – maximum shift length of 2 hours.
- Saturdays – maximum shift length of 5 hours.
- Working hours per week – maximum of 12 hours.
School Holidays – Shift Lengths for 13 & 14 year Olds
During school holidays, there are more generous limits on working hours for 13 & 14 year old employees.
- Saturdays & weekdays – maximum shift length of 5 hours.
- Sundays – maximum shift length of 2 hours.
- Working hours per week – Maximum of 35 hours.
How Many Hours Can a 15 to 16 Year Old Work?
There are some differences in child working hours from 15 years old, with the ability to work some longer shifts during term time and more hours during school holidays.
- During term time – Workers aged 15 & 16 can work a maximum of 12 hours per week.
- During school holidays – Workers aged 15 & 16 can work a maximum of 35 hours per week.
School Term – Shift Lengths for 15 & 16 year Olds
The main difference in working hours for 15 & 16 year olds is the ability to work a longer 8 hour shift on a Saturday.
- Sundays & weekdays – maximum shift length of 2 hours.
- Saturdays – Maximum shift length of 8 hours.
School Holidays – Shift Lengths for 15 & 16 year Olds
- Saturdays & weekdays – maximum shift length of 8 hours.
- Sundays – Maximum shift length of 2 hours.
Work Hours for Children Under 16
There are also rules on work hours for under 16s and limitations on the types of jobs that they can do. There may be different limitations of specific job types in your local area too.
Work hour rules are the same for workers in all of the child worker age groups.
Hours of Work & Breaks
Children aged 13 to 16 must not work:-
- During school hours in term time.
- Before 7am or after 7pm.
- For more than an hour before school.
- More than 4 hours without a break of at least 1 hour.
- In industrial environments such as factories or work involving heavy lifting. They are only permitted to do “light work”.
- Without having at least 2 weeks off during school holidays each year.
There may also be local bylaws about what types of work children can do. Check the council website for your local area to find out more.
School Age Children & National Minimum Wage
Children aged under 16 are not entitled to national minimum wage, and do not have to be paid via PAYE. Once a child is 16, they are entitled to an hourly rate of £5.28 per hour. Wages need to be reported to the HMRC via payroll even if no deductions are to be made.
What Happens if Child Employment Laws Are Broken?
If you think your child’s employer is breaching the laws relating to under 15 working hours, you can report them to your local council. Many local authorities will have child employment officers who you can raise concerns with.
The consequences for employers can be severe.
Case Study – McDonalds Franchise Fined £12,400
A McDonalds franchise based in Camberley, Surrey was reported for breaching child labour laws. They were ultimately prosecuted and fined £12,400 in July 2001 after being found guilty of over 50 breaches of the law.
The violations included 15 and 16-year-old schoolchildren working excessively: a 15 year old worked 16 hours on a Saturday, exceeding the legal limit by 7 hours, and a 16 year old worked from 5 pm to 2 am on a school day, despite the law stating she shouldn’t have worked past 7 pm.
Source: Guardian Newspaper – July 2001
